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Using a light instead of a click?

07-25-2005, 07:34 AM

Nice to be here in the new digs. That other recording forum kinda sucked, huh?

Anyhow, I have a band coming in today that wants to do something I'd never thought of. I was asking the band about their experience with a clicktrack, and the drummer said he'd never used one, but that they practiced with the blinking light from a drum machine as a sort of click. They're going to bring it, and I'm going to try it -- if it has a midi input, I'll be smiling, but either way.

No, but I have thought about trying to use the earphone output of an electronic metronome to trigger one or more LED's, strategically placed. Hasn't been a high priority so far, but I'll get around to it eventually. For me this would be a live sound application for bands that do not use IEM's, but wanted/needed a click track.

Comment

Originally posted by kayak No, but I have thought about trying to use the earphone output of an electronic metronome to trigger one or more LED's, strategically placed. Hasn't been a high priority so far, but I'll get around to it eventually. For me this would be a live sound application for bands that do not use IEM's, but wanted/needed a click track.

Wow...my band needs to try that. Our drummer uses a Dr. Beat live and watches the light (more for guidance on a "home" tempo for a song, since push and pull some parts), but it would be very helpful to make it visible to the rest of us...I sometimes stand by him and try to watch it but then I look silly.

7/15/04 Winner!! Funkee1 forumite mp3 of the day, for the song
Fireworks.

Originally posted by Kiwiburger

Macs are a safer bet for people who have this attitude:
Stuff this techie stuff, i'm an artiste - here is my American Express Card young man - give me a system that works and matches my hair.

Comment

Originally posted by kayak No, but I have thought about trying to use the earphone output of an electronic metronome to trigger one or more LED's, strategically placed. Hasn't been a high priority so far, but I'll get around to it eventually. For me this would be a live sound application for bands that do not use IEM's, but wanted/needed a click track.

No need to MacGyver it:

Beat Indicator

The Beat Indicator contains an ultra bright LED that can be programmed to flash on the beat in response to MIDI Clock messages. An invaluable tool for enabling drummers or live musicians to keep time with MIDI sequences during breaks or intros. The flash can be advanced or delayed by up to 128 ms from the actual beat, and the brightness of the flash is programmable. The Beat Indicator can also be programmed to flash in response to a Note or Control Change message.

The Beat Indicator is MIDI-powered, and requires no batteries or power supply to operate with most products

BOYCOTT MONSTER CABLE

Comment

Interesting... though one thing I was going to do to help avoid the latency and general hypnotism that occurs when staring at a single blinking light is make a sequence of lights that would light up in turn..maybe with a little switch for alternate time signautres like 3 and 5.

7/15/04 Winner!! Funkee1 forumite mp3 of the day, for the song
Fireworks.

Originally posted by Kiwiburger

Macs are a safer bet for people who have this attitude:
Stuff this techie stuff, i'm an artiste - here is my American Express Card young man - give me a system that works and matches my hair.

Comment

Originally posted by TimmyP Careful with the tempo when using a blinking light. At the right frequency it can trigger seizures in a small percentage of the population (epileptics mainly).

Cool, I'll have to try that some time.

I've had a Sabine Zipbeat metronome for years that has 8 LED's that will either flash one or will sweep to make it easier to anticipate the beat. If you don't want the 'click', just plug in a dummy 1/8" at the headphone jack.

"If you don't know where you are going, you might wind up someplace else" - Yogi Berra, 1925-2015